Chapter - 20: Moments of Heartache


Vineet follows Bulbul to her room and knocks on the door before entering. The girl is sitting on the floor beside the bed, crying. He sits beside her and glances at her. Seeing her cry pinches his heart, but he composes himself somehow.

“Bulbul, beta, aapko apni Di se aise baat nahi karni chahiye thi. Vo tumse bahut pyar karti hai na?” he says, his tone gentle.

“Par aapne dekha na Di ne bina baat ke gussa kiya. Mujhe apne sath le jaane ki zidd ki, unhone meri baat hi nahi suni,” Bulbul complains, tears streaming down her face.

“Beta, it’s okay. Vo tumse pyar karti hai, tumhe goli lagte lagte bachi hai, unka gussa jaayaz hai. Vo toh tumhe safe rakhna chahti hain,” he tries to explain, but the girl is adamant; she doesn’t want to understand the turmoil that Ruhana is going through.

“Beta, tumhe koi chhoti si chot nahi lagi hai. Goli lagi hai, vo darr gayi thi, agar unki jagah main hota toh main bhi shayad aise hi react karta. Isliye tumne galat kiya. Tumhari Di toh tumhara hi bhala chahti thi,” Vineet says, unaware that Ruhana has heard them.

“Uncle, aap nahi samajh rahe. Di ko lagta hai ki main chhoti bachchi hoon jisey koi samajh nahi hai. Unko lagta hai ki mere liye sirf wahi sahi decision le sakti hain. Par aisa nahi hai, uncle. Unhone aaj bhi overreact kiya. Aur jab wo gussa hoti hain, unhe kisi ka dhyan nahi rehta. Aur aaj toh unhone mujhe aapke saamne danta, aur aapko bhi kuch bolne ka mauka nahi diya. I don’t know unhe kya ho gaya hai…” Bulbul says, not understanding the impact her words could have.

Ruhana, standing just outside the door, overhears the conversation and feels a pang in her heart.

She silently listens, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t bear the sting of her words anymore, and so, she runs away, trying to control herself. Vinay finds her and is astonished when she asks him to drop her home. He’s surprised but follows her lead, telling the house servant that they are leaving. Meanwhile, Vineet brings Bulbul downstairs, but the servant tells them that she has already left.

On the other hand, Vinay drops Ruhana home, who walks straight into her room without talking to her parents. Abhijeet and Tarika get worried and ask Vinay about her, and he tells them the whole story. Lately, he has started to call them Ma and Papa, and the couple hasn’t denied him; after all, they’ll be his parents too, after his and Ruhana’s wedding.

“Ye tum kya keh rahe ho, Vinay? Bulbul aur Ruhana mein kabhi jhagda nahi hota,” Tarika asks in disbelief.

“Par aisa hua hai, Ma. Maine Ruhana ki aankhon mein dard dekha hai. Shayad unhe Vineet ke sath us pehli mulakat mein bhi itni takleef nahi hui, jitni aaj hui. Vaise toh Ruhana thik hi thi, lekin shayad Bulbul ne kuch zyada keh diya unhe…” Vinay says, concerned for Ruhana.

“Par actually hua kya? Aur ye usse baat kiye bagair hi aa gai?” Abhijeet asks.

“Achanak se jo hamla hua, usse Ruhana darr gayi. Aap toh jante hain, Papa, Ruhana pehle se hi Bulbul ko ACP Vineet ke sath bhejna nahi chahti thi, humari zidd pe maani thi, lekin aaj jab usey chot lagi toh shayad wo khud ko rok nahi payi. Aur isliye Bulbul aur Ruhana mein jhagda ho gaya,” Vinay explains, his face mirroring their tension.

“Thank you, beta! Aaj toh tumne sambhal liya Ruhana ko. Ab tum ghar jao, kaafi der ho gayi hai. Tumhare parents tumhara intezar kar rahe honge,” Abhijeet says, his eyes fixated on Vinay.

“Thanks keh ke sharminda mat kijiye mujhe, Ruhana meri dost hain, aur meri hone wali patni bhi, unke liye itna toh main kar hi sakta hoon,” Vinay smiles and takes his leave.

As he leaves, Tarika turns to Abhijeet, her face mirroring his worry as they glance at each other. They’re too concerned for their daughter.

“Abhijeet, tumne suna na aaj kya hua vahan? Ruu aur Bulbul mein jhagda– ye toh wahi hai jiska mujhe darr tha,” Tarika says, her voice tinged with worry.

“Tum jaanti ho Tarika, Bulbul ko leke Ruhana bahut protective hai. Lekin hum kya kar sakte hain isme?” he says, his tone filled with concern for his daughter.

“Ye sab nahi hona chahiye tha, Abhijeet. Aage kya hoga?” Tarika asks, her eyes mirroring the tension of her husband.

“Tarika, relax! Hum is sabse baahar nikalne ka koi raasta nikaal lenge. Tum yun pareshan mat ho,” he tries to comfort his wife.

“Lekin kaise, Abhi? Abhi toh sirf kaha suni hui hai, aur Ruhana itni pareshan hai. Socho, agar use wo baat pata chal gai toh? Aur baat sirf ek nahi, do hain. Agar in dono baaton mein se ek bhi use pata chal gai, toh kya hoga? Itne waqt mein wo sambhal toh gai hai, lekin na jaane ye sab jaan ke meri bachi kaise react karegi. Usey kahin ye na lage ki humne bhi uske sath dhokha kiya hai. Mujhe bahut darr lag raha hai, Abhijeet. Ab hamari bachi apni zindagi mein koi uthal puthal bardasht nahi kar payegi,” Tarika says, her tone filled with emotion.

“Nahi nahi, aisa kuch nahi hoga, Tarika. Meri bachi ab aur dukh nahi jhelegi. Ye raaz uske saamne kabhi nahi aayenge. Tum fikar mat karo,” Abhijeet assures his wife.

“Lekin kaise? Hum ye kaise karenge?” Tarika asks.

“Maine soch liya hai, hum jaldi hi Vinay ke parents se milenge aur shadi ki taarikh nikalva denge. Jitni jaldi ho sake, hum unki shadi karva denge. Fir vo Vinay ke sath khush rahegi, aur in sab baaton se door bhi,” he says, his tone holding an unwavering resolve to get his daughter married.

Tarika glances at her husband. She’s still worried, but she feels her nerves relaxing with her husband’s decision. However, they’re worried for Ruhana, but they decide to give her some time before initiating the talk.

*****

Ruhana is in her room, sitting on her window couch, her back touching the wall. Tears are streaming down her face, and Bulbul’s words are echoing in her ears. She hadn’t imagined in her wildest dreams that the girl would use such harsh words against her.

“Enough Di! Aap bina baat hi ACP uncle ko daant rahi ho.”

“Aapko samajh nahi aata kya ki mujhe aapke saath nahi jaana. Main nahi jaungi, samjhe!”

“Aap jaao, … I hate you.”

“Di ko lagta hai ki main chhoti bachchi hoon jisey koi samajh nahi hai. Unko lagta hai ki mere liye sirf wahi sahi decision le sakti hain. Par aisa nahi hai, uncle.”

“Hamesha wo sahi nahi ho sakti, uncle.”

Fresh tears leak down her face. For the first time, Bulbul has shouted at her, gone against her words. She’s trying hard to let go of those words, but she’s unable to. For her, Bulbul is like her child, and she wants to keep her safe always. Meanwhile, there’s a knock on the door, and she hears her mother calling her. She quickly clears her face, opens the door, and sits on her couch. Tarika sits beside her.

“Kya hua, beta? Tu thik hai na?” Tarika asks, her tone filled with love for her daughter.

“Vinay ne humein bataya sab, jo bhi vahan hua…” Tarika says, pausing for a moment.

“Aapko bhi lagta hai maine overreact kiya?” Ruhana asks, her voice cutting through the silence.

“Nahi beta, tune wahi kiya jo sahi tha,” Tarika tries to comfort her daughter.

“Lekin Bulbul ko aisa nahi lagta. Usey lagta hai ki main usey control kar rahi hun, force kar rahi hoon, aisa nahi hai, Mumma. Aap jaanti hai na mujhe vo ACP bilkul pasand nahi hai, jab se vo meri zindagi mein aaye hain na, tab se sab kuch uthal-puthal ho gaya hai,” Ruhana voices her concern, her eyes teary, and Tarika finds herself resonating with her daughter.

“Tu chinta mat kar beta, main hoon na, tere papa bhi hai. Hum sab thik kar denge. Aur main Bulbul se baat karungi, usey samjhaungi…hmm… tu ro mat,” Tarika says, as she attempts to wipe the tears from her daughter’s face.

Ruhana leaps into her arms, crying her heart out, while Tarika embraces her, trying to calm her, though her own demeanor is disturbed. Her eyes meet her husband’s, who assures her that things will get fine.

To Be Continued.

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